[Expression and significance of serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 & sCD8 in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 & sCD8 antigens in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and clinical significances.

METHOD

The serum levels of sICAM-1 and sCD4 & sCD8 antigens were determined in 54 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC group) and 32 healthy adults (normal group) by ELISA.

RESULT

Expressions of serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 & sCD8 antigens in NPC group were significantly higher than that in normal group (P < 0.01, respectively). The levels of serum sICAM-1 in patients with III-IV stages were higher than those with I-II stages (P < 0.05), and those in patients with no lymph node metastasis lower than in lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01); but the serum levels of sCD4 and sCD8 antigens were not related to UICC-TNM stages in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (P > 0.05). The levels of serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 & sCD8 antigens decreased significantly in disappearance of tumor and metastatic lymph node after radiotherapy (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

sICAM-1 might be involved in the cellular immunopathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and the measurement of the serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 and sCD8 antigens may reflect ability of neoplasm cell in freedom from host immunological surveillance. Dynamic measurement of serum sICAM-1 and sCD4 and sCD8 antigens may be a useful objective index to evaluate prognosis and curative effects of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.